740.0011 European War 1939/13253: Telegram

The Ambassador in France (Leahy) to the Secretary of State

895. Apropos of the announcement of General Weygand’s appointment as Governor General of Algeria in addition to his other offices, Rochat remarked this afternoon that the appointment was “pleasing to all concerned”: Weygand is given “more direct control thereby in Algeria and Admiral Darlan (as Minister of the Interior) will now have some direct authority over the General.”

Admiral Abrial,45a whose elimination from Algeria did not come as a surprise here, is reputedly slated to be Prefect of the Seine.

Leahy
  1. Adm. Jean Marie Abrial, former Governor General of Algeria.